Bobbin-winder thread spool pins for sewing machines



E. J. HERBST April 1, 1958 BOBBIN-WINDER THREAD SPOOL PINS FOR SEWING MACHINES- I INVENTORY Edward J Herbs) Filed Oct. 31, 1955 AZZJRNEY United States atent BoBBIN-WINDER THREAD SPDOL PINS FOR SEWING MACHINES Edward J. Herbst, South Plainfield, N. 1., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 31, 1955, Serial No. 543,876

3 Claims. (Cl. 112-218) The present invention relates to sewing machines and has for a primary object to provide an improved arrangement on the bed of a sewing machine of a bobbin-winder thread spool pin and the actuating knob of a'feed throwout mechanism.

There are various restrictions on the positioning of these two elements on the bed of the machine. In the first place, neither should be located inside of the inner edge of the standard where it would constitute an obstruction on the work-supporting surface of the bed. The actuating knob of the feed throw-out should be so positioned that the depending elements extending through the bed-plate will not interfere with or necessitate modification of the mechanisms in the bed of the machine. A thread spool on the bobbin-winder thread spool pin must not interfere with the actuation of the feed throw-out mechanism and at the same time, the bobbin-winder thread spool pin must, in order to obtain a satisfactory angle of thread pull-off lead, be adequately spaced from the cooperating tension device. The position of the bobbinwinder thread tension device is determined by the location of the bobbin-winder, the position of which in turn is determined by the position of the hand wheel of the machine. In accordance with the present invention, the spool pin has been mounted in such a manner with respect to the actuating knob to satisfy all of the above restrictions upon the positioning of the two elements.

Further objects of this invention are to provide an inexpensive as well as neat and attractive construction and arrangement of the feed throw-out actuating elements and bobbin-winder thread spool pin, which construction and arrangement is also eflicient from a design standpoint so that it is easy to manufacture and assemble, e'flicient in operation, durable, not readily subject to damage, and fits within the space limitations of the machine.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from an understanding of this disclosure, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in the art readily to understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a sewing machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the bed of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 with the standard illustrated,

in horizontal section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig.2.

With reference to the drawings, there is illustrated a sewing machine having a bed 1 including a bed-plate 2, the upper surface of which comprises the work-supporting surface 3 of the machine. Rising from one end of the bed 1 is a vertically arranged standard 4.

The feeding mechanism of the machine including the 2,828,706 Patented Apr. 1, 1958 feed throw-out mechanism is fully disclosed in my copending U. S. patent application Serial No. 523,296, filed July 20, 1955, to which reference is made for a more complete understanding of the present invention. For purposes of this disclosure, it is necessary only to point out that the feeding mechanism of the machine includes a feed-lift shaft 5 journaled for oscillation in the bed 1 by means of cone-shaped bearings or pintles, one of which is illustrated at 6. The pintle 6 is carried by a web or boss 7 depending from the bed-plate 2. The feed throwout mechanism may be similar to that as illustrated in Figs. 1-4 of the above-noted application and includes a push-pull connecting link 8 which elfects actuation of the feed throw-out mechanism to couple and uncouple the feed-lift shaft 5 and the feed bar (not shown). The link 8 is connected at the standard-end of the bed 1 by a pivot screw 9 to the free end of a crank 10, a spring washer '11 being arranged between the cooperating faces of the link 8 and screw 9. The crank 10 is carried by the lower end of a rod 12 journaled in aboss 13 depending from the bed 1 and extended upwardly through the bed-plate 2. Above the bed-plate 2 the rod 12 has secured thereon by a set screw 14 a knob 15 comprising a metallic collar 16 and a plastic handle and pointer element 17 moulded thereon. As seen in Fig. 2, the knob 15 not only provides for manual rotation of the rod 12 but also serves as an indicator. Thus, the handle and pointer element 17 is formed with a pointer 18 having an indicating mark 19 that together cooperate with suitable indicia 29 on the bed-plate 2, the indicia 20 as illustrated being sew and dam to indicate the positions of adjustment of the feed throw-out mechanism in which the feed means is operative or thrown-out, respectively. The link 8 is provided with an ear 21 (Fig. 3) that engages with the adjacent side edge of the crank 10 to limit rotation of the rod 12 at the two positions of adjustment. The rod 12 is held against axial movement by the crank 10 engaging the bottom of the boss 13 and the knob 15 that engages the bed-plate 2.

The bobbin-winder mechanism may be of any conventional construction and since the details thereof do not form any part of the present invention, it is not herein fully disclosed. The thread 22 for the bobbin-winder mechanism is drawn from a thread spool 23 illustrated in phantom lines in Fig. 1, and through a bobbin thread base 25 by a spring (not shown) arranged about the shankof a screw 33 threaded into the ear 32. The rod 12 is elongated upwardly through the knob 15 to serve as a spool pin for the thread spool 23.

As seen in the drawings, the rod 12 is arranged normal to the bed-plate 2 adjacent to the right front corner of the bed. As noted above, there are limitations on the positioning of the actuating rod for the feed throw-out mechanism. The rod 12 must be to the right as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 of the innermost edge 34 (Fig. l) of the standard 4 so as to avoid encumbering the work-supporting surface 3, and preferably as far as possible to the right so that the work being sewn will not get caught thereon. For the same reason, the rod should be arranged inwardly from the front edge of the bed-plate 2 and close to the standard, but still spaced from the standard to permit convenient manual actuation thereof. The rod 12 must also be arranged so that the feed throw-out mechanism associated with the feed-lift shaft may be of convenient and practical design and the actuation thereof may be efficiently effected by rotation of the rod 12. Also, for manufacturing purposes, as well as for strength and appearance, the boss 13 in which the rod 12 is journaled should be integral with the reinforcing web 35 depending from the bed-plate 2 adjacent to the periphery thereof.

There are also limitations on the positioning of the spool pin for the bobbin-winder mechanism. The tension device 24 is located so that the thread lead therefrom will be substantially normal to the axis of the bobbin winder shaft and centrally of the bobbin to be wound. The position of the bobbin-winder tension device 24 is therefore determined, and in order to obtain a satisfactory lead for pulling thread from the spool 23, the spool should be spaced away from the tension device with the lead extending preferably from the pin normal thereto and toward a point centrally of the spool.

In prior constructions, wherein there was employed a pin for the spool 23 that was separate from the feed throw-out actuating mechanism, there resulted an awkward and inconvenient arrangement of the two that was not well suited to either of the devices. It was necessary that the spool pin be spaced from the knob a distance adequate to accommodate the thread spool and permit convenient actuation of the feed throw-out. In view of the limited space available, either there was an unfavorable thread lead from the spool because the spool was arranged too close to the tension device, or the feed throw-out actuating mechanism was disposed on the work-supporting surface of the machine inwardly of the edge of the standard where it would hamper manipulation of the work.

In accordance with the present invention, the thread spool pin is arranged concentrically of the actuating rod of the feed throw-out mechanism, thus favorably satisfying all the limitations on the positioning of the two. A further advantage of this invention is derived from the fact that the elevation of the thread spool 23 by the knob 14 increases the angle at which the thread 22 is wrapped around the tension device 24 thus increasing the efliciency of the tension device. The use of a single rod 12 to serve as both the spool pin and actuating rod for the feed throw-out mechanism is economical not only because the single element is cheaper to manufacture and assemble, but also from a standpoint of inventories and handling of the parts. The spool pin is also much less subject to damage since it is more strongly supported by means of the boss 13 than has heretofore been practical.

Numerous'alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of my invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. In a sewing machine, a frame including a bed-plate having a work-supporting surface and a standard rising from said bed-plate at one end of said work-supporting surface, feed throw-out mechanism actuating means comprising an actuating rod journaled through said bed-plate, said rod being arranged normal to said bed-plate and disposed in front of said standard and to one side of said work-supporting surface, a knob secured to said rod above said bed-plate to provide for manual oscillation thereof, a bobbin-winder thread tension device secured to the upper surface of said bed-plate in front of said standard and spaced from said actuating rod, said rod being elongated through said knob and constituting a bobbin-winder thread spool pin upon which a thread spool-is adapted to be mounted above the actuating knob.

2. In a sewing machine, a frame including a bed-plate having a work-supporting surface and a standard rising from said'bed-plate at one end of said work-supporting surface, feed throw-out mechanism actuating means comprising an actuating member journaled through said bedplate, said member being arranged normal to said bedplate'and disposed in front of said standard and to one side of said work-supporting surface, a knob secured to said member above said bed-plate to provide for manual oscillation thereof, a bobbin-winder thread tension device secured to the upper surface of said bed-plate in front of said standard and spaced from said actuating member, and a bobbin-winder thread spool pin extending upwardly from said work-supporting surface concentrically of said actuating member.

3. In a sewing machine, a frame including a bed-plate having a work-supporting surface and a standard rising from said bed-plate at one end of said work-supporting surface and spaced from the front edge thereof, feed throw-out mechanism actuating means comprising an actuating element disposed above said work-supporting surface and arranged on said bed-plate in the area between said standard and the front edge of said bed-plate, a bobbin-winder tension device mounted on said bed-plate and spaced from said actuating element toward said one end of said bed-plate, and a bobbin-winder thread spool pin extending upwardly from said work-supporting surface concentrically of said actuating element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

